Lancaster County, South Carolina
AffordabilityAffordability: grade D, better than 24% of US counties
WeatherWeather: grade D, better than 23% of US counties
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 7% of US counties
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade C, better than 50% of US counties
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade C, better than 47% of US counties
- top 11% for airport distance
- top 15% for property tax rate
- bottom 10% for sunny days
Lancaster County is a county in South Carolina with about 98,000 residents. It grades C for getting around and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include airport distance, property tax rate, and annual snowfall. It rates lower on violent crime and sunny days.
Climate
Hot, humid summers · Cool winters · Moderate rain · Light snow
cold
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comf.
warm
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63%51%clearovercast
Precipitation 4.3 in3.5 in
muggy 81%dry
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$72k78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$50kbetter than 21% of US counties
Home Value$272k84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$881better than 38% of US counties
Monthly Owner Costs$2kbetter than 23% of US counties
Property Tax Rate0.51%better than 85% of US counties
Income Tax5.50%better than 36% of US counties
Sales Tax7.50%better than 43% of US counties
Estimated total tax burden9.91%better than 41% of US counties
Unemployment5.0%better than 45% of US counties
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)42°F73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)80°F68th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation45.4 in56th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall2.5 inbetter than 70% of US counties
Sunny Days189 daysbetter than 10% of US counties
Summer Humidity68°Fbetter than 33% of US counties
Comfortable Days81 daysbetter than 54% of US counties
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk79.4better than 20% of US counties
School Quality45.9better than 30% of US counties
Violent Crime1566/100kbetter than 14% of US counties
Property Crime1778/100kbetter than 18% of US counties
Community
Population97,61180th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age42.258th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.4471st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9621st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2333rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)69.2%34th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)19.6%85th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)6.3%59th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)2.0%84th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)2.9%38th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time30 minbetter than 15% of US counties
Walkability5.9/20better than 46% of US counties
Airport Distance35 mibetter than 89% of US counties
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access86.1%better than 68% of US counties
Amenities Nearby0.10better than 25% of US counties
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 58% of US counties
Frequently asked questions
- Is Lancaster County an affordable place to live?
- Lancaster County is relatively expensive. Its cost-of-living index is $50k, better than 21% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Lancaster County?
- The median home value in Lancaster County is $272k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Lancaster County?
- Median household income in Lancaster County is $72k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Lancaster County?
- Median gross rent in Lancaster County is $881 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Lancaster County safe?
- Lancaster County is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 1566/100k (better than 14%). Property crime is 1778/100k.
- What is the weather like in Lancaster County?
- Lancaster County averages 80°F in July and 42°F in January, with 45.4 in of annual precipitation and about 189 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Lancaster County?
- Public-school quality in Lancaster County is below average, scoring better than 30% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Lancaster County?
- The average one-way commute in Lancaster County is 30 min.
Other counties in South Carolina
Explore South Carolina
Data sources
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)